Junction of Pallantio, Motorway between Tripoli and Kalamata - 2009

Junction of Pallantio, Motorway between Tripoli and Kalamata. Stamatis Frintzilas (ΛΘ’ EPKA) reports on the rescue excavation on both sides of the motorway, that revealed an ancient stone-paved street.

In the E sector (kilometric position 0+425-0+470 m.), multiple trial trenches revealed the ancient street, built from compact layers of unworked stone of various sizes and pebble.

In the W sector (kilometric position 0+210-0+350 m.) multiple trial trenches revealed antiquities. Archaeological layers were located in the square no. 2 of the grid (fig. 1). It revealed the continuation of the stone foundation of the street, varying in width between 6.40 m. to 7.60 m. This street seemed to have been adjusted to the geomorphological complexities if the area, it led to the Pallantio settlement through the passage of Mantineia, and it continued upwards towards the Kalogeriko site, Asea and, finally, Megali Poli. Among small findings, various prehistoric stone tools were revealed.  In one square of the grid (I18), four large stones were located, as well as monochrome pottery of general use, dated in the Protohelladic era.
Stone foundations, considered to be of the same construction process, were found in various squares. The pottery found here was also monochrome, but it dated between Classical and Hellenistic times.

One burial was also found by the street. It was a jar-burial, 7 m. S of the ancient street, containing bones from five exhumations (fig. 2).  The burial was oriented SE-NW, and the pithos used for it was of orange clay, with multiple inclusions. The five individuals buried are recognized because of their skulls, since the entire skeletons must not had been able to fit inside one single pithos.

[Entry created by E. Kourti]